Economic Impacts of the Sodbuster Provision of the New Farm Bill on West Texas Cotton Farms

The conservation compliance and sod buster provision of the 1985 farm bill require that farmer of highly erodible land follow a conservation plan on their farms of lose all government program benefits. A eleven county area of the Texas High Plains was studied to estimate the effects of such plans on farm income and crops grown. Preliminary results indicate that farmers can profitably employ rotations and green manure crops behind irrigated cotton to meet the provisions of the bill with little sacrifice in returns. Also, there appears to be no need to switch cotton base for additional what or sorghum base to achieve this result. This is due largely to the change in the rules imposed by SCS.